POROUS BODIES WITH ENHANCED PORE ARCHITECTURE

• US 20180021755A1
• Filed: 10/02/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Design Company, Inc. (Clariant AG)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Design Company, Inc. (Clariant AG)
• Inventors: Suchanek, Wojciech L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,512,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0013 Controlling the temperature of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/04 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00051 Controlling the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/04 Alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/36 Rhenium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/50 Silver
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/56 Foraminous structures having flow-through passages or channels, e.g. grids or three-dimensional monoliths
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/612 less than 10 m2/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/633 less than 0.5 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/635 0.5-1.0 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/638 more than 1.0 ml/g
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/66 Pore distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0018 Addition of a binding agent or of material, later completely removed among others as result of heat treatment, leaching or washing,(e.g. forming of pores; protective layer, desintegrating by heat)
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/086 Decomposition of an organometallic compound, a metal complex or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/0081 as catalysts or catalyst carriers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/10 based on aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/00 Porous mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramic ware; Preparation thereof treating slag with gases or gas generating material C04B5/06 ; expanded graphite C04B35/536
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0096 Pores with coated inner walls
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/08 by adding porous substances
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/009 characterised by the material treated
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4535 : applied as a solution, emulsion, dispersion or suspension
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/455 : the coating or impregnating process including a chemical conversion or reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/5116 : Ag or Au
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/88 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/10 : with catalysts containing silver or gold
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 301/22 : by oxidation of saturated compounds with air or molecular oxygen of mixtures of unsaturated and saturated compounds C07D301/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Abstract

A porous body is provided with enhanced fluid transport properties that is capable of performing or facilitating separations, or performing reactions and/or providing areas for such separations or reactions to take place. The porous body includes at least 80 percent alpha alumina and has a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g and a surface area from 0.3 m²/g to 3.0 m²/g. The porous body further includes a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7.0 or less, a constriction of 4.0 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater. The porous body can be used in a wide variety of applications such as, for example, as a filter, as a membrane or as a catalyst carrier.

Claims

1. A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, the precursor mixture comprising:

(i) at least one milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 microns to 6 microns,

(ii) a non-silicate binder, and

(iii) at least one principle burnout material having a particle size of 1 micron to 10 microns.

2. The precursor mixture of claim 1, wherein the least one milled alpha alumina powder, the non-silicate binder, and the at least one principle burnout material are in a homogeneous mixture.

3. The precursor mixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one principle burnout material is a granulated polyolefin.

4. The precursor mixture of claim 3, wherein the granulated polyolefin is one of polyethylene and polypropylene.

5. The precursor mixture of claim 1, further comprising unmilled alpha alumina powder.

6. The precursor mixture of claim 5, wherein the unmilled alpha alumina powder has an average particle size from 10 microns to 100 microns.

7. The precursor mixture of claim 5, wherein a weight ratio of the milled alpha alumina powder to the unmilled alpha alumina powder is from about 0.25:

1 to 5;

1.

8. The precursor mixture of claim 5, further comprising an additional unmilled alpha alumina powder having a particle size greater the particle size of the unmilled alpha alumina powder.

9. The precursor mixture of claim 8, wherein a weight ratio of the milled alpha alumina powder to the additional unmilled alpha alumina powder is from about 0.2:

1 to 5;

1.

10. The precursor mixture of claim 1, further comprising a solvent.

11. The precursor mixture of claim 1, wherein the least one milled alpha alumina powder is dispersed in deionized water.

12. The precursor mixture of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary burnout material.

13. The precursor mixture of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary burnout material is graphite.

14. The precursor mixture of claim 12, wherein a weight ratio of principle burnout material to auxiliary burnout material is 1:

1 to 5;

4.

15. A method for producing a porous body, the method comprising:

providing a precursor mixture comprising (i) milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) a non-silicate binder, and (iii) a principle burnout material having a particle size of 1-10 microns;

forming a predetermined shape; and

subjecting the shape to a heat treatment step in which the shape is sintered to produce the porous body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the porous body comprises at least 80 percent alpha alumina and having a pore volume from 0.3 mL/g to 1.2 mL/g, a surface area from 0.3 m²/g to 3.0 m²/g, and a pore architecture that provides at least one of a tortuosity of 7 or less, a constriction of 4 or less and a permeability of 30 mdarcys or greater.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing the precursor mixture comprises providing a homogenous mixture of the milled alpha alumina powder, the non-silicate binder, and the principle burnout material.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the principle burnout material is a granulated polyolefin.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the granulated polyolefin is one of polyethylene and polypropylene.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the precursor mixture further comprises at least one of an unmilled alpha alumina powder and an auxiliary burnout material.